A ballot measure allowing the city of Boulder to break away from Xcel Energy and create a municipal electric utility -- and an accompanying tax to help fund the effort -- secured narrow victories after the final ballots were counted Wednesday night.

The Boulder County Clerk and Recorder's Office counted 849 additional ballots, which included overseas ballots as well as those with faulty signatures or other problems. That brings the total number of ballots counted in Boulder County in the Nov. 1 election to 83,573.

About 360 of the ballots affected the utility measures, but both managed to extend their narrow leads.

The last time election results had been posted, early Nov. 2, Issue 2B -- which raises the existing utility occupation tax by $1.9 million annually -- was leading by 141 votes. Question 2C -- which allows for the creation of a municipal utility -- was leading by 933.

After the final ballots were counted, 2B ended up with a 212-vote lead, and 2C secured a 1,027-vote lead.

Representatives of Xcel were at the ballot center as Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Hillary Hall revealed the final numbers, but Jerome Davis, regional vice president for the energy company, said he was not expecting any change in the results.

"The vote was close enough that it was prudent for us to be here, but we did not have any expectations that it would go one way or the other," Davis said. "We came here with the thought that it would stay the same."

Neither race was close enough to warrant a mandatory recount, and Davis said he did not know yet whether Xcel would be asking for one.

The tax measure was trailing for much of election night and held a slim lead coming into the final count. Proponents of the municipal utility said the tax would be an important part of possibly separating from Xcel.

"I'm very excited about it," said Boulder City Councilwoman Lisa Morzel. "The tax basically allows us to fund all different kinds of studies as well as pursue legal options."

Davis said although the measure passed, the narrow margin of victory showed a municipal utility is not something the city needs.

"There is no mandate for it," he said. "The residents are split pretty evenly. ... Right now, it's in the city's hands, and we will just wait for the next steps."

In the City Council race, George Karakehian maintained his narrow lead over Ken Wilson for the fourth four-year term on the council.

An audit of the vote will conclude Monday. The vote is not official until it is approved by the Boulder County Canvass Board, which has a Nov. 18 deadline.

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